PagR mediates the precise regulation of Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 gene expression in response to magnesium and phosphate signals in Salmonella Typhimurium

To establish systemic infections, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) requires Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI‐2) to survive and replicate within macrophages. High expression of many SPI‐2 genes during the entire intracellular growth period within macrophages is essential, as it contributes to the formation of Salmonella‐containing vacuole and bacterial replication. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the sustained induction of SPI‐2 within macrophages are not fully understood. Here, we revealed a time‐dependent regulation of SPI‐2 expression mediated by a novel regulator PagR (STM2345) in response to the low Mg²⁺ and low phosphate (P_i) signals, which ensured the high induction of SPI‐2 during the entire intramacrophage growth period. Deletion of pagR results in reduced bacterial replication in macrophages and attenuation of systemic virulence in mice. The effects of pagR on virulence are dependent on upregulating the expression of slyA, a regulator of SPI‐2. At the early (0–4 hr) and later (after 4 hr) stage post‐infection of macrophages, pagR is induced by the low P_i via PhoB/R two‐component systems and low Mg²⁺ via PhoP/Q systems, respectively. Collectively, our findings revealed that the PagR‐mediated regulatory mechanism contributes to the precise and sustained activation of SPI‐2 genes within macrophages, which is essential for S. Typhimurium systemic virulence.     

橡胶树橡胶生物合成调控相关基因的表达相关性分析

该文通过qPCR获得了正常割胶条件下,9个茉莉酸信号途径关键环节基因HbCOI1、HbJAZ1、HbJAZ2、HbJAZ3、HbMYC1、HbMYC2、HbMYC3、HbMYC4、HbMYC5和6个橡胶生物合成相关基因HbHRT2、HbSRPP、HbREF、HbHMGR1、HbHRT1、HbGAPDH在5个橡胶树魏克汉种质和5个1981''IRRDB种质胶乳中的表达数据; 通过皮尔逊相关系数分析了这15个基因彼此间的表达相关性,分别获得105对基因的双变量相关系数(r12)和偏相关系数(r12.3),所有105对基因的双变量相关系数(︱r12︱)和偏相关系数(︱r12.3︱)的平均值分别为0.486 ± 0.220和0.304 ± 0.211,达到0.05的差异显著水平。其中,r12与r12.3方向相同的63对(60%),方向相反的42对(40%); ︱r12︱<︱r12.3︱的23对(21.905%),︱r12︱>︱r12.3︱的82对(78.095%); 双变量相关显著性P<0.05的76对(72.38%),P<0.01的59对(56.19%); 偏相关显著性P<0.05的21对(20%),P<0.01的16对(15.24%)。结果显示,这两条途径中的基因表达彼此相关,这为基因表达谱分析中普遍采用的前提假设“功能相关基因的表达相关”提供了进一步的实验证据,可用于挖掘、筛选和预测与橡胶生物合成相关的未知基因,为研究橡胶树产量形成的分子调控机理提供理论基础。     

豆类炭疽病病原物种类及其发生研究进展

炭疽病是重要的世界性植物病害,造成大豆、绿豆等品质变劣,产量损失严重。本文综述了国内外大豆炭疽病的发生情况、炭疽菌种类及其特征,为了解该病的流行病学和科学防治提供理论依据。     

一株肠膜明串珠菌的分离鉴定及其抑菌特性

[背景] 水产病原细菌严重威胁水产动物健康且制约水产养殖业发展,细菌性鱼病的有效防治成为水产养殖领域亟待解决的问题。[目的] 筛选对水产病原细菌有抑制效果的菌株,并研究其抑菌特性及其在水产细菌病害防治中的实际效果。[方法] 通过16S rRNA基因测序、构建系统发育树和生理生化鉴定确定筛选菌株的进化地位,通过乙酸乙酯萃取获得抑菌物质粗提物,通过偶氮酪蛋白法检测菌株胞外蛋白酶活力,采用结晶紫染色法对菌株的生物膜形成能力进行测定,通过浸浴攻毒模型确定所筛菌株对维氏气单胞菌的防治作用。[结果] 从泡菜发酵物中筛选出一株乳酸菌DH,经16S rRNA基因测序、发育树分析和生理生化鉴定确定其为肠膜明串珠菌,该菌分泌的胞外抑菌物质对鼠伤寒沙门氏菌、大肠埃希氏菌、铜绿假单胞菌、杀鲑气单胞菌、希瓦氏菌和维氏气单胞菌表现出抑菌效果,其抑菌物质能被乙酸乙酯萃取并且具有热稳定性。菌株DH能够显著抑制待测菌株的蛋白酶产量和生物膜形成能力,并且对维氏气单胞菌浸浴攻毒有防治作用。[结论] 肠膜明串珠菌DH通过分泌抑菌物质抑制水产病原细菌的生长,能够为细菌性鱼病的防治提供一定的理论和应用潜力。     

黄芩苷对嗜水气单胞菌生物膜形成的影响及体内外的抑菌作用

[目的] 探讨中药单体黄芩苷对嗜水气单胞菌在体内外生长及生物膜形成的影响。[方法] 体外实验中,利用牛津杯法检测抑菌圈直径,结晶紫法检测生物膜的形成,通过泳动实验检测黄芩苷对嗜水气单胞菌运动性的影响,紫外吸收法检测细胞膜完整性,用透射电镜技术观察黄芩苷对细菌形态的影响。体内实验利用草鱼为对象检测黄芩苷对嗜水气单胞菌增殖的影响。[结果] 黄芩苷在体外对嗜水气单胞菌有明显的抑菌效果,通过对生物膜的研究发现黄芩苷对生物膜形成具有抑制作用,并同时抑制其运动性。同时黄芩苷可以破坏细胞结构,并增加了细胞膜通透性。体内实验结果显示黄芩苷对嗜水气单胞菌具有清除作用,且具有一定的浓度依赖性。[结论] 黄芩苷在体内外均具有抑制嗜水气单胞菌增殖的作用,有望在水产养殖病害防治工作中得到应用。     

Sustainability of SARS-CoV-2 Induced Humoral Immune Responses in COVID-19 Patients from Hospitalization to Convalescence Over Six Months

Virologica Sinica - Understanding the persistence of antibody in convalescent COVID-19 patients may help to answer the current major concerns such as the risk of reinfection, the protection period...     

Light-Regulated Hypocotyl Elongation Involves Proteasome-Dependent Degradation of the Microtubule Regulatory Protein WDL3 in Arabidopsis

Light significantly inhibits hypocotyl cell elongation, and dark-grown seedlings exhibit elongated, etiolated hypocotyls. Microtubule regulatory proteins function as positive or negative regulators that mediate hypocotyl cell elongation by altering microtubule organization. However, it remains unclear how plants coordinate these regulators to promote hypocotyl growth in darkness and inhibit growth in the light. Here, we demonstrate that WAVE-DAMPENED 2–LIKE3 (WDL3), a microtubule regulatory protein of the WVD2/WDL family from Arabidopsis thaliana, functions in hypocotyl cell elongation and is regulated by a ubiquitin-26S proteasome–dependent pathway in response to light. WDL3 RNA interference Arabidopsis seedlings grown in the light had much longer hypocotyls than controls. Moreover, WDL3 overexpression resulted in overall shortening of hypocotyl cells and stabilization of cortical microtubules in the light. Cortical microtubule reorganization occurred slowly in cells from WDL3 RNA interference transgenic lines but was accelerated in cells from WDL3-overexpressing seedlings subjected to light treatment. More importantly, WDL3 protein was abundant in the light but was degraded through the 26S proteasome pathway in the dark. Overexpression of WDL3 inhibited etiolated hypocotyl growth in regulatory particle non-ATPase subunit-1a mutant (rpn1a-4) plants but not in wild-type seedlings. Therefore, a ubiquitin-26S proteasome–dependent mechanism regulates the levels of WDL3 in response to light to modulate hypocotyl cell elongation.     

The production of phytolith‐occluded carbon in China's forests: implications to biogeochemical carbon sequestration

The persistent terrestrial carbon sink regulates long‐term climate change, but its size, location, and mechanisms remain uncertain. One of the most promising terrestrial biogeochemical carbon sequestration mechanisms is the occlusion of carbon within phytoliths, the silicified features that deposit within plant tissues. Using phytolith content–biogenic silica content transfer function obtained from our investigation, in combination with published silica content and aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) data of leaf litter and herb layer in China's forests, we estimated the production of phytolith‐occluded carbon (PhytOC) in China's forests. The present annual phytolith carbon sink in China's forests is 1.7 ± 0.4 Tg CO₂ yr ^{? 1}, 30% of which is contributed by bamboo because the production flux of PhytOC through tree leaf litter for bamboo is 3–80 times higher than that of other forest types. As a result of national and international bamboo afforestation and reforestation, the potential of phytolith carbon sink for China's forests and world's bamboo can reach 6.8 ± 1.5 and 27.0 ± 6.1 Tg CO₂ yr^?1, respectively. Forest management practices such as bamboo afforestation and reforestation may significantly enhance the long‐term terrestrial carbon sink and contribute to mitigation of global climate warming.     

Cholinergic Plasticity of Oscillating Neuronal Assemblies in Mouse Hippocampal Slices

The mammalian hippocampus expresses several types of network oscillations which entrain neurons into transiently stable assemblies. These groups of co-active neurons are believed to support the formation, consolidation and recall of context-dependent memories. Formation of new assemblies occurs during theta- and gamma-oscillations under conditions of high cholinergic activity. Memory consolidation is linked to sharp wave-ripple oscillations (SPW-R) during decreased cholinergic tone. We hypothesized that increased cholinergic tone supports plastic changes of assemblies while low cholinergic tone favors their stability. Coherent spatiotemporal network patterns were measured during SPW-R activity in mouse hippocampal slices. We compared neuronal activity within the oscillating assemblies before and after a transient phase of carbachol-induced gamma oscillations. Single units maintained their coupling to SPW-R throughout the experiment and could be re-identified after the transient phase of gamma oscillations. However, the frequency of SPW-R-related unit firing was enhanced after muscarinic stimulation. At the network level, these changes resulted in altered patterns of extracellularly recorded SPW-R waveforms. In contrast, recording of ongoing SPW-R activity without intermittent cholinergic stimulation revealed remarkably stable repetitive activation of assemblies. These results show that activation of cholinergic receptors induces plasticity at the level of oscillating hippocampal assemblies, in line with the different role of gamma- and SPW-R network activity for memory formation and –consolidation, respectively.